Review: Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight by Nick Earls and Rebecca Sparrow

Joel and Cat Set the Story Straight
By Nick Earls and Rebecca Sparrow
Reviewed by Maggie: November 15, 2012
Published January 1, 2007 by Penguin Australia
Goodreads • Buy at Fishpond ($15.97)



Remember the Britney and Justin Dance Off of 2002? (And Matt Damon's reenactment on SNL?) This book is the literary equivalent of that. Yes, it's as awesome as it sounds.

Joel and Cat, classmates and enemies, are paired together for a tandem writing project. They have to write a story one alternating paragraph at a time. But the first rule of tandem story writing is that you do not talk about tandem story writing. They can't discuss the plot or characters. Any problems? Take it to the page! (Sidenote: No wonder Australian YA is awesome -- their English teachers kick ass. Mr. Ashton reminded me a bit of Mr. Botherit and his Joy of the Envelope.)

The 'enemies who are forced to work together' is one of my favorite tropes. Done well, it leads to great chemistry and banter, and the reader falls in love along with the characters. You already know how I feel about Rebecca Sparrow. (In case you don't, I ADORE her.) There's just something about her writing that I connected to immediately and I loved Nick McGowan from the first page. Imagine my surprise when I didn't connect to Joel and Cat right away. I don't get it. Did I stumble into bad lighting? I put the book down after about 40 pages. A few days later, I decided to pick it up again, and this time, I couldn't put it down until I was done. I didn't stop laughing until a good 30 minutes after I had finished the book. I think the beginning felt a bit disjointed as the characters, the authors, and I got used to the tandem style. Once we were all on the same page (hardy har har), it was so much fun. It's obvious that Rebecca Sparrow and Nick Earls had fun writing this. I can't even mention a scene without cackling like Julia Roberts and wanting to spoiler the hell out of it for you so we can laugh about it together, but I won't!

There's a distinctly Australian feel to the book. I had to google references to Megan Gale, Andrew G, and Mary Kostakidis. I cracked up after looking up 'Ken Done scarf', which is how Cat describes Joel's hippy dippy mother's appearance, because that's exactly how I pictured her. I was surprised that Australia has Sizzlers. Of all the restaurants America could export! There are still a few around LA -- to keep people like my grandma happy. I loved that Sizzler was also a turning point in the book. Seriously, so much fun!

If Sizzler doesn't tempt you to read this book, maybe Cat's dad will. Remember that episode of Friends where Ross goes tanning? "I'm an 8!" Cat's dad takes that as a personal challenge.

When Joel and Cat are first paired up, Joel throws down the gauntlet and challenges Cat with two words: Amaze me. Nick Earls and Rebecca Sparrow did. They each bring such a charming, unique voice to the story. I'm no Nate Silver, but I predict you will laugh your ass off while reading this book.

Rating: 4/5 stars.

Review: The Girl Most Likely by Rebecca Sparrow

The Girl Most Likely by Rebecca Sparrow
Reviewed by Maggie: October 12, 2012
Published March 1, 2003 by University of Queensland Press
Goodreads • Buy at Amazon Marketplace • Fishpond



Rebecca Sparrow is my ambassador of quan. After finishing her books, I just want to yell, "I love everybody!"

The Girl Most Likely is actually Rebecca Sparrow's first book, and not the sequel to The Year Nick McGowan Came to Stay as I previously thought. Normally, I'm a stickler for reading books in the order they were published, but I'm glad I read Nick McGowan first. I loved seeing the teenage Rachel, the ambitious, hopeful, poised for success Rachel, before meeting the 27-year-old, down on her luck version. This version, after finding herself broke and broken up with, is returning from whence she came -- her parents' house.

New Adult, quarter life crisis, whatever you want to call it, this book covers that transitional period of time. After being so solid in her personal and professional life, the girl who achieved her most likely to succeed status is now faltering. After vegging out in front of the TV with Fruit Loops, Rachel decides to go back to the basics: simple, achievable goals, like learning a particular piano piece. It's while doing this that the cutest, creepiest meet-cute occurs. The former piano playing part of me squealed at this meet-cute. However, the Criminal Minds watching part of me immediately thought, "CRIMINAL MINDS SITUATION." Fortunately, there was no unsub.

What I love about Rebecca Sparrow's books is that she writes about the moments that make life funny, happy, mortifying, crushing, and ultimately, worthwhile and unique. Rachel's life is laugh out loud ridiculous at times, and can't leave the bed disappointing at others. Thanks to Zoe Budd, the ridiculous far outweighs the disappointment. Nick McGowan fans will crack up at who Zoe grew up to be because OF COURSE. She even pulls out her classic "You're going to have sex with him!" line. I love her. I love Rachel. And I love this book! See? I just can't help myself. It's the quan!

Rating: 4/5 stars. 

Extra! Extra! I first came across this book on the Anna Scott Jots post on Brisbane. Did you know Brisbane is also called (brace yourself) BrisVegas?? When you're done laughing, check out Anna's other recs. Of Girl Most Likely, Anna says: "...a great, very funny depiction of a woman having a mid-20s crisis and not knowing what the blooming heck to do about it. With sexy neighbour thrown in for good measure. What's not to love?"

Review: The Year Nick McGowan Came to Stay by Rebecca Sparrow

The Year Nick McGowan Came to Stay
by Rebecca Sparrow
Reviewed by Maggie: September 19, 2012
Published April 8, 2008 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Goodreads • Buy at Amazon • Kindle • Fishpond



It's always harder for me to talk about books I love, but basically, I was so utterly charmed by this book that I haven't been able to finish a book since. Yes, people, it's that serious.

Nick McGowan was the perfect all-around guy, good looking, popular, and the top of his class. Then something happened over the summer and he dropped his classes and started acting out. Rumors are swirling about what happened, but no one knows the cause. He's a boarder at his school and after his last stunt pulling the fire alarms, he's on the verge of getting kicked out. In steps Rachel Hill's family.

Rachel Hill is a driven overachiever. She has set hours for study, work, and school. She works as a clown at a children's party place, and she even takes her clowning seriously. She has a clown archrival. She lives with her adorable parents who, to her chagrin, can't help but offer to take in Nick McGowan.

I loved all the characters. Nick reminded me of Heath Ledger's character in 10 Things I Hate About You.

Like with Patrick Verona, everyone has some crazy theory about what happened to Nick over the summer. And Rachel? I loved her goody goody ass from the moment she went to the cool record store in the city to buy some Ramones albums after finding out they're Nick's favorite band. When the sales guy asks if she's a Ramones fan, she replies, "Fuck yeah." Cut to the next chapter after she listens to her very first Ramones albums: "I hate the Ramones." I cracked up and remembered the time a really hot French boy told me about his favorite band, Louise Attaque. I went to FNAC feeling all proud and badass, ready to buy some hot French boy music. Now I don't know what I expected hot French boy music to sound like, but French hillbilly fiddle fuckery was not it. My favorite character, though, was Rachel's wacky, loyal best friend, Zoe Budd. When Zoe finds out Nick is moving in, her response is, "This is great. You get to have sex with him!"

I loved how high school this book felt. Rachel is just so busy with all her work and can't believe her parents would risk derailing her academic career by asking her to the dishes. The nerve. Rachel is anal retentive and a perfectionist but she doesn't fall into the unlikable category because she is so endearingly dorky. I mean, she has Kirk Cameron and Huey Lewis posters on her wall! The way Nick and Rachel's friendship developed felt natural as well. It's the inside jokes and little moments that come from sharing a space and constantly bumping into one other whether you want to or not.

When I first got this book, I set it aside after finding out it was set in 1989. Another 80s YA? But it totally works here. The story itself doesn't feel dated at all and the 80s references (acid washed jeans! cassettes!) are amusing rather than annoying. It's funny that I worried pre-read about whether this book would be a ripoff of Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys. This book is so much better that there's really no comparison.

Just read this book. It's actually available in the States! Rebecca Sparrow writes with such charm and humor that she may temporarily ruin all other books for you, but you'll be cracking up before you know it. You may also find yourself singing, You're just too good to be true...

 

Rating: 5/5 stars.